Kalinga Super Cup: Mohun Bagan SG Triumph Over Kerala Blasters to Secure Semifinal Berth

Synopsis

Mohun Bagan SG triumphed over Kerala Blasters FC 2-1 in the Kalinga Super Cup quarterfinals. With goals from Sahal Abdul Samad and Suhail Ahmad Bhat, they secured a semifinal spot. Despite a late goal from Sreekuttan MS, Kerala fell short. The young Mariners will face the FC Goa vs Punjab FC winner next.

Key Takeaways

Mohun Bagan SG advanced to the semifinals of the Kalinga Super Cup.
Goals from Sahal Abdul Samad and Suhail Ahmad Bhat propelled them to victory.
Dheeraj Singh made crucial saves to maintain the lead.
Kerala Blasters struggled to find an equalizer despite late pressure.
The semifinal match is scheduled for April 30.

Bhubaneswar, April 26 (NationPress) The emerging talents of Mohun Bagan Super Giant edged past Kerala Blasters FC with a scoreline of 2-1 during the quarterfinals of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 on Saturday. The champions of the ISL Shield and Cup, fielding an almost entirely Indian lineup except for the Portuguese defender Nuno Reis, netted once in each half courtesy of Sahal Abdul Samad (22') and Suhail Ahmad Bhat (51').

Despite a late goal from Sreekuttan MS (90+4'), it was insufficient for the Blasters as Mohun Bagan SG advanced to the semifinals, aided by a stellar display from goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem. Bastab Roy's team is set to challenge the victor of the FC Goa versus Punjab FC match in the semifinal on April 30.

The match commenced at a slow tempo, with both teams cautious and minimal offensive thrust. After a goalless first 20 minutes, Mohun Bagan SG broke the deadlock with their first significant foray into the attack.

Displaying impressive agility, Salahudheen Adnan navigated past left-back Naocha Singh and delivered a cross into the six-yard area. Sahal Abdul Samad latched onto it, faked a challenge from Ruivah Hormipam, and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to make it 1-0 in the 22nd minute.

After taking the lead, Mohun Bagan SG kept Kerala Blasters on the back foot, leaving them anxious for an equalizer. Noah Sadaoui, who previously scored a stunning long-range goal against East Bengal, attempted a similar effort but failed to elevate the ball sufficiently, allowing Dheeraj Singh to make an easy catch.

The Blasters intensified their attack with short corners. In the 30th minute, Sadaoui executed a one-two with Vibin Mohanan and delivered a low cross that was cleared by Dippendu Biswas. Later, a cross-turned-shot from Hormipam almost found the top corner, but Dheeraj was quick to tip it over.

In first-half injury time, Mohammed Aimen received the ball on the left flank from Vibin and cut in, but his right-footed attempt sailed over the bar.

Before Kerala Blasters could regroup for the second half, Mohun Bagan SG struck again. After Sachin's impressive save against Salahudheen in the 47th minute, the Blasters were caught off guard.

Just four minutes into the second half, Ashique Kuruniyan carved out a second goal from the left wing, maneuvering past Hormipam and delivering a precise ball into the six-yard box for Suhail Ahmad Bhat to tap in effortlessly.

The remainder of the second half was dominated by Dheeraj Singh as he thwarted several attempts from the Kerala Blasters, including missed opportunities from Jesús Jiménez, who failed to convert a couple of clear chances.

In the 94th minute, Dheeraj was finally beaten when Jiménez set up Sreekuttan with a neat pass to the right. The substitute drilled it past Dheeraj, but it was merely a consolation.